Electronic game board

ABSTRACT

An electronic game board contains a casing; a display panel in the casing exposed from a top side of the casing; a touch-sensitive module on the top side of the casing against the display panel; and a control device in the casing with a built-in game program. The electronic game board is able to provide multiple board games without acquiring sets of different game boards and game pieces. The electronic game board uses the display panel to present the grid and game pieces of a board game. A player is able to interact with the game board and plays a board game by moving the displayed virtual pieces through the touch-sensitive module. In addition, as the game pieces are actually displayed images, there is no need to worry that any game piece would be missing.

(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to an electronic game board, and more particular to an electronic game board having a display panel for showing the grids and game pieces of various board games, and a touch-sensitive module for interacting with players.

(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Various board games such as chess, Go, checker, etc., all involve a number of game pieces manually placed, removed, or moved on a premarked game board according to a set of rules.

Different board games usually have different game boards and different game pieces and cannot share a same game board or a same set of game pieces. In order to play more than one board game, each board game's specific game board and game pieces have to be prepared.

In addition, one common problem to all board game players is that it is not uncommon that some game piece is missing when trying to play a board game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, a novel electronic game board is provided herein capable of providing multiple board games of different grids and game pieces, and without worrying that any game piece would be missing.

The electronic game board has a display panel to present the grid and game pieces of a board game. A player is able to interact with the game board and plays a board game by moving displayed virtual pieces through a touch-sensitive manner.

The electronic game board contains

a casing;

a display panel in the casing exposed from a top side of the casing;

a touch-sensitive module on the top side of the casing against the display panel; and

a control device in the casing with a built-in game program capable of conducting one or more board games.

The electronic game board is able to provide multiple board games without acquiring sets of different game boards and game pieces. In addition, as the game pieces are actually displayed images, there is no need to worry that any game piece would be missing.

The control device contains a microprocessor, a memory, and a power module. The microprocessor is electrically connected to the display panel and the touch-sensitive module. The memory is electrically connected to the microprocessor and stores the game program.

The power module is electrically connected to the microprocessor and a power switch is configured on the casing and is electrically connected to the power module.

The control device operates according to the following steps after the electronic game board is started.

First, the touch-sensitive module is monitored to see if it is touched. If yes, the display panel is refreshed to show a new status of the game conducted and the touch-sensitive module is monitored again. If no, the next step is executed.

Then, the control device checks to see how long the game board has been idle. If the idle time is still within a limit, the control device returns to monitor the touch-sensitive module; otherwise, the next step is executed.

Then, the control device turns off the display panel, and stores the current game status.

Finally, the power module is shut down to save power.

The display panel contains a circuit board and a large number of light emitting elements configured on the circuit board. By controlling the on and off of the light emitting elements, a grid and game pieces for a specific board game are displayed.

The light emitting elements could be light emitting diodes or organic light emitting diodes.

The game program is capable of conducting at least a board game such as chess, Go, checker, Chinese chess.

The touch-sensitive module could be of a resistive type, a capacitive type, a surface acoustic wave type, or an infrared type.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram showing an electronic game board running a board game according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the electronic game board of FIG. 1 running a different board game.

FIG. 3 is a sectional diagram showing the electronic game board of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top-view diagram showing the electronic game board of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing various functional blocks of the electronic game board of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart diagram showing the steps performed by a control device of the electronic game board according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an electronic game board according to an embodiment of the present invention contains a casing 10, a display panel 20, a touch-sensitive module 50, and a control device 30.

The casing 10 usually has a rectangular shape for easy transportation and viewing. There is no specific requirement to the casing 10's dimension. The casing 10 could be small for hand holding, or the casing 10 could be of the size of a notebook computer.

As further shown in FIG. 4, the display panel 20 is housed in the casing 10 and is exposed from a top side of the casing 10. The display panel 20 contains a circuit board and a large number of light emitting elements 21 configured on the circuit board. By controlling the on and off of the light emitting elements 21, a grid 24 and game pieces 25 for a specific board game are displayed. As such, for example, the stones of the game of Go (as shown in FIG. 1) or game pieces of more complex shapes (as shown in FIG. 2) could be presented. The light emitting elements 21 could be light emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LED (OLED), or similar devices of high photoelectric conversion efficiency.

The touch-sensitive module 50 is placed on the top side of the casing 10, right against the display panel 20. The touch-sensitive module 50 is also electrically connected to the display panel 20.

The control device 30 is housed inside the casing 10, and is electrically connected to the display panel 20 and the touch-sensitive module 50. The control device 30 has a build-in game program 321 capable of conducting at least a board game such as chess, Go, checker, Chinese chess, or any similar game requiring a game board and game pieces.

When the game program 321 is executed, based on a chosen board game, the control device 30 is able to show appropriate grid 24 and game pieces 25 on the display panel 20 and a player is able to move the game pieces 25 by the touch-sensitive module 50.

As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 30 contains a microprocessor 31, a memory 32, and a power module 33. The microprocessor 31, usually a low-powered, highly efficient processor, is electrically connected to the display panel 20 and the touch-sensitive module 50. The memory 32, usually a low-powered, highly efficient memory, is electrically connected to the microprocessor 31 and stores the game program 321. The power module 33 is electrically connected to the microprocessor 31 and is usually a replaceable battery. A power switch 11 is configured on the casing 10 and is electrically connected to the power module 33.

As further shown in FIG. 6, the control device 30 operates according to the following steps after the electronic game board is started by pressing the power switch 11.

First, the touch-sensitive module 50 is monitored to see if it is touched. If yes, the display panel 20 is refreshed to show a new status of the game conducted and the touch-sensitive module 50 is monitored again. If no, the next step is executed.

Then, the control device 30 checks to see how long the game board has been idle (i.e., not been touched). If the idle time is still within a limit, the control device 30 returns to monitor the touch-sensitive module 50; otherwise, the next step is executed.

Then, the control device 30 turns off the display panel 20, and stores the current game status.

Finally, the power module 33 is shut down to save power.

The touch-sensitive module 50 could be of a resistive type, a capacitive type, a surface acoustic wave type, an infrared type, or other types. Generally, a resistive touch-sensitive module contains a glass panel covered with a conductive layer and a resistive metallic layer with spacers sandwiched between the two layers. Then, an anti-scratch layer is further coated. When a user touches the module, the conductive layer and the resistive metallic layer are made to contact with each other and this change of electrical field could be detected as a touch signal. The touch signal is then delivered to the microprocessor for processing. On the other hand, capacitive touch-sensitive module uses capacitive sensors. When the module is touched, continuous current is conducted through the sensors and the sensors are able to store electrons along the vertical and lateral directions, forming a precisely controlled capacitive field. When a sensor's default capacitive field is altered by another capacitive field, implying the user has touched a separate location, the circuit of the touch-sensitive module then is able to calculate how much the capacitive field has changed and reports a touch signal to the microprocessor for processing.

With the above described means, the electronic game board of the present invention is able to provide multiple board games without acquiring sets of different game boards and game pieces. In addition, as the game pieces are actually displayed images, there is no need to worry that any game piece would be missing.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. An electronic game board, comprising: a casing; a display panel in said casing exposed from a top side of said casing; a touch-sensitive module on said top side of said casing against said display panel, said touch-sensitive module electrically connected to said display panel; a control device in said casing with a built-in game program capable of conducting at least a board game, said control device electrically connected to said display panel and said touch-sensitive module; wherein, based on a chosen board game, said control device shows appropriate grid and game pieces of said board game on said display panel; and a player manipulates said game pieces and interacts with said game board through said touch-sensitive module.
 2. The electronic game board according to claim 1, wherein said control device contains a microprocessor and a memory; said microprocessor is electrically connected to said display panel and said touch-sensitive module; and said memory is electrically connected to said microprocessor and stores said game program.
 3. The electronic game board according to claim 2, wherein said control device further contains a power module electrically connected to said microprocessor; a power switch is provided on said casing; and said power switch is electrically connected to said power module.
 4. The electronic game board according to claim 3, wherein said control device operates according to the following steps after said electronic game board is started: monitoring said touch-sensitive module to see if said touch-sensitive module is touched; if yes, refreshing said display panel and repeat this step; checking if said electronic game board has been idle longer than a limit; if not, returning to the previous step; turning off said display panel; storing a current game status; and shutting down said power module.
 5. The electronic game board according to claim 4, wherein said display panel contains a circuit board and a plurality of light emitting elements configured on said circuit board; and, by controlling the on and off of said light emitting elements, a grid and game pieces for a specific board game are displayed.
 6. The electronic game board according to claim 5, wherein each light emitting element is one of a light emitting diode and an organic light emitting diode.
 7. The electronic game board according to claim 6, wherein said game program is capable of conducting at least one of chess, Go, checker, and Chinese chess.
 8. The electronic game board according to claim 7, wherein said touch-sensitive module is one of a resistive type, a capacitive type, a surface acoustic wave type, and an infrared type. 